Tredegar Teacher Honoured

Retired schoolteacher Steven Knapik, from Tredegar, received an MBE awarded in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

Mr Knapik was awarded his MBE for services to young people in Merthyr Tydfil and to young people in Poland. Mr Knapik spent much of his career, at Merthyr Tydfil’s Pen-Y-Dre High School.

The Polish connection involves Blue Balloon, a children’s charity Mr Knapik helped to set up, which initially provided aid to an orphange in the country, but which has since helped young people across the globe.

Youngsters in South Africa and Haiti are among those to have been helped out, with Blue Balloon raising more than £60,000 in 12 years.

Congratualtions Mr Knapik from all at New Directions.